The ancestors of the name Longfurn date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Longfurn family lived in the county of Cumberland. Longfurn is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. In this case the surname was originally derived from the Old English word lang, which means long and the Old Norse word horn simply which means horn. Therefore the original bearers of the surname lived in or near a long piece of land that was shaped like a horn.

Early Origins of the Longfurn family

The surname Longfurn was first found in Cumberland, where they held a family seat from early times. Laugharne (Welsh: Talacharn) is a town in Carmarthenshire, Wales and home to Laugharne Castle which dates back to 1116 and was the meeting place of Henry II of England with Rhys ap Gruffudd in 1171-1172.

Longfurn Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Longfurn are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Longfurn include: Langhorn, Langhorne, Langharn, Langharne and others.

Early Notables of the Longfurn family (pre 1700)

Distinguished members of the family include Sir William Langhorne, 1st Baronet (1631-1715), Governor of Madras in the 1670s; Blessed Richard Langhorne (c. 1624-1679), a barrister executed as part of the Popish Plot; Major General Langharne, Commander... Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Longfurn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Longfurn family to the New World and Oceana

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Longfurn or a variant listed above: Thomas Langhorne, who sailed to Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1647; Richard Langhorne, who arrived in Rowley, Masachusetts in 1669; Jeremiah and Grace Langhorne, who came to Pennsylvania in 1684.